KC Iraq Task Force Update - Help at Cross Roads Art Walk - this Friday
Ira Harritt
Dear Peacemakers,
At the last KC Iraq Task Force meeting we spent considerable time assessing the work of the peace movement utilizing the War Resisters League “Assessing the Antiwar Movement” Listening Project report (http://www.warresisters.org/node/392) It offered much opportunity for reflection and analysis of the strengths and weaknesses of the peace movement and the challenges and opportunities before us.
Some of the things I hope we can incorporate into our work is to more consistently build relationships with allied groups, expand the anti-war work to a stronger peace building focus which invites opportunities to find common ground with other groups who may not immediately see working to end the war in Iraq or Afghanistan or potential wars in other places as part of their work on human needs. I invite you to think about how you can strengthen these efforts. I encourage you to participate in upcoming activities of the KC Iraq Task Force and AFSC. We especially need help this Friday, August 1, Friday, 7:30 – 9:00pm at the Cross Roads Art Walk, where we will leaflet and perform “Your Tax Dollars for Sale” Street Theater (We will meet at 18th and Wyandotte / outside YJ’s Café.) The street theater parts are very simple and require previous acting experience. Please contact us ASAP so we will know whether we have enough volunteers to conduct this actions.
Sadly, the shifting of U.S. policy and priorities is not as simple as electing a new leader. All elected officials are under extreme pressure by moneyed interests. A just democracy requires an active electorate! Below are recent articles reviewing “U.S. Strategy In Middle East” by Phyllis Bennis and the positive impact the peace movement has had on its reshaping
She notes, “After years of winning massive anti-war victories in public opinion but unable to transform that public opinion into new anti-war policy, the U.S. and global anti-war movements are now at the center of new domestic, regional and international pressures on Washington powerful enough to force significant new shifts in once-unshakable war strategy.”
She goes on to observe “This is not the moment to rest on our momentary laurels, but rather a moment for anti-war forces to escalate our pressure - on candidates, on the White House, on the media, especially on Congress…”
At the same time we see Afghanistan being described as the “Right War.” In End the Occupation of Iraq — and Afghanistan by Marjorie Cohn we are reminded that though there is little challenge in the media of the rightness of the Afghanistan occupation it was not legitimate self-defense under article 51 of the UN Charter. She notes that “Zbigniew Brzezinski, national security advisor for Jimmy Carter, is skeptical that the answer for Afghanistan is more troops. He warns that the United States will, like the Soviet Union, be seen as the invader, especially as we conduct military operations ‘with little regard for civilian casualties.””
Thanks for your efforts for peace!
Contact us to volunteer at one of the upcoming peace action listed below.
Thanks for all of your efforts for peace and justice,
Ira Harritt
KC AFSC
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Help Create the
“Get a Clue America!” Game
Below is the draft banner for the “Get a Clue America!” game. We would like your help creating questions to ask players. We have created five question categories: Human Security; International Relations, Rule of Law, Energy & Environment, and Budget & Economy.
Questions and answers need to be true / false or A or B answers. Here are some sample questions (Do you know the answers?):
“The UN believes that if all of developed nations fulfilled their pledges of aide to poor nations it could effectively end hunger and extreme poverty in the world. What amount of financial contributions would enable the UN to accomplish this?”
A) $196 billion ? B)$600 billion
What is the International Criminal Court (ICC)?
A) a dangerous institution organized by enemies of the US seeking to limit our ability to defend ourselves as a nation?
B) an independent, permanent court that tries persons accused of the most serious crimes of international concern, namely genocide, crimes against humanity and war crimes?
Email suggested questions to me (with answers please) at ihar...@afsc.org . Mike and I have been working on this and think we will need about 10 questions in each category. We will also have bonus questions and “Living the Dream” questions (these will be about things the person does in his or her life to make the world more secure, sustainable and just (e.g. Have you volunteered for a service project in the last 6 months? Have you contacted your elected official? Recycled? Etc.). Your help and creativity will be much appreciated!
Rosie volunteering with Get a Clue America! Game at Fringe Festival – Thanks also to Mike, Sharon, Susan, Mary and others who helped, set up the Cost of War banners, leaflet, collect petitions and play the Get A Clue America Game!
Upcoming vigils and demonstrations at which we need your help:
Email me at ihar...@afsc.org if you can help at one or more of these events!
Upcoming KC Iraq Task Force Activities
|
Date / Time |
Event |
Location |
Activity |
Volunteer to: |
|
August 1, Friday, 7:30 – 9:00pm |
Cross Roads Art Walk |
Meet at 18th and Wyandotte / outside YJ’s Cafe |
Leafleting and “Your Tax Dollars for Sale” Street Theater |
Perform in Street Theater scene |
|
August 24, Sunday, 6:00-7:30pm |
Bruce Springsteen & The E-Street Band Concert |
Sprint Center 13 and Grand, KCMO |
Cost of War banners, “What’s the Best Way to Support the Troops?” + |
Hold banners, leaflet, collect petition signatures, etc. |
|
August 25th, Monday, 6:30pm,
|
KC Iraq Task Force Planning Meeting |
AFSC office, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO |
Help plan upcoming anti-war and peace campaigns! |
For information call 816 931-5256. |
|
August 28, Thursday 6:30 to 8:00pm |
Bob Dylan Concert |
Uptown Theater3700 Broadway, Kansas City, MO |
Cost of War banners, “What’s the Best Way to Support the Troops?” + |
Hold banners, leaflet, collect petition signatures, etc. |
Volunteer to help with one of the following projects.
You can help bring an end to the Iraq war and create a better world.
Contact us at ihar...@afsc.org or call 816 931-5256
ÿ Help educate the public. Sign up to be on call to leaflet, table, hold Cost of War banners or vigil at community events (concerts, festivals, markets). We will contact you when we plan an action. Your signing up will make it easier to turn out enough volunteers to hold a successful action.
ÿ Sign up to be on call to participate in performances of the “Your Tax Dollars for Sale Street Theater.” – Roles do not require great acting skills – enthusiasm helps We will contact you when we plan an action. Signing up will make it easier to turn out enough volunteers to hold a successful action.
ÿ Volunteer to help research war profiteers in the KC metro. We want to identify a corporation profiting from the war and hold demonstrations to draw the public’s attention to the forces which fuel the war machine. –Would require internet searching.
ÿ Volunteer to be a listener in a project to meet with civic, business and other community leaders to discuss with them how the war and war spending impacts their areas of interest. We want to motivate community leaders to recognize the disastrous impact of the war on our community and to speak out.
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Upcoming Peace and Justice Activities
Click on link or scroll down for more information about the peace and justice activity
Peace and Justice Teach-ins will be on a break. For up to date information go to: http://peaceandjusticecoffeehouse.blogspot.com/
August 1st – 7, Friday through next Thursday, The Singing Revolution plays this at the Glenwood Arts Theatre, Overland Park, 9575 Metcalf Ave., KS. The Singing Revolution is a new film on the nonviolent defiance of Soviet occupation by the Estonian people and the remarkable events which led to their independence.
Aug. 9, Saturday, 8 a.m.-9 a.m., Nuclear Peace Caravan: Starting at the proposed new nuclear weapons manufacturing site at Highway 150 & Botts Road, 1 1/2 miles east of Highway 71, and going through Martin City to Bannister Federal Complex at Lydia & 95th St. (Bannister Road), KCMO, this caravan lodges strong objection to the making of weapons of mass destruction and the proposed use of bond money to build a new weapons plant. Contact: Ann Suellentrop with PeaceWorks KC and the KC Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, (913) 342-0587.
Aug. 9, Saturday, 6/7pm, Hiroshima-Nagasaki Remembrance 2008 Program: At Loose Park Lake, 52nd & Wornall Road, KCMO, a potluck and social hour begin at 6 p.m., and the annual program begins at 7 p.m., including floating lanterns, 63 gongs (63 years since the 1945 bombings), 30 posters of Hiroshima & Nagasaki before and after the nuclear bombings, speakers, etc. Contact: Henry Stoever with PeaceWorks KC, (913) 375-0045 or henrys...@sbcglobal.net.
August 23, Saturday, 7:30 p.m. Summer Soiree, Movie and a Snack, Live Music Under the Stars, a benefit for the American Friends Service Committee, featuring Dr. Strangelove or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb an outdoor movie event with wonderful acoustic guitar music of songwriter Kevin Hiatt at 8336 Sagamore, Leawood, KS Call 816 931-5256 for more info.
August 25th, Monday, 6:30pm, KC Iraq Task Force Planning Meeting. We will work on public education and advocacy actions: utilizing the Cost of War, What is the Best Way to Support the Troops and other exhibits, present the new “Auction-Today: Your Tax Dollars for Sale” Street Theater, organize dialogue sessions on war and the economy and other activities to promote peace and end the Iraq war. Come to the AFSC office, 4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO for information call 816 931-5256.
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EVERY Sunday: Iraq Peace Vigil, 4pm, JC Nichols Fountain, 47th & Main, Streets, Kansas City, MO http://www.kciraqtaskforce.org/
EVERY Tuesday, JOIN THIS Peace Demonstration Every Tuesday between 5PM - 6 PM in the median strip on the south corner of the intersection at 63rd & Ward Parkway, Kansas City, Mo. For more information email '63rd Street Patriots' at schwar...@sbcglobal.net
Every Wednesday, 5:00pm, Iraq Anti-War Protest, College and Quivira, Overland Park, KS (NW corner). Send a message to Sen. Pat Robert that it’s time to end the war!
1st Wednesday of each month, Prayers for World Peace and Group Blessings at 3741 Walnut St - Kansas City, MO (Note new address). Interested persons can call 816-256-4164 for more details.
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Movie and a Snack,
Live Music Under the Stars
Saturday, August 23, 7:30 p.m.
At 8336 Sagamore, Leawood, KS
Please join us for . . .
Dr. Strangelove
Or: How I Learned to Stop Worrying and Love the Bomb (1964)
Once more, our Patriot’s Party host, has offered her verdant backyard (at 83rd and Sagamore, just off State Line on the Kansas side), for an outdoor movie event.
Listen to the wonderful acoustic guitar music of songwriter Kevin Hiatt. Then stretch out and watch the movie or just take in the stars—an evening of fun awaits.
Saturday, August 23, 7:30 p.m. beginning with live music, hoola hoops, limbo contests and Frisbee til the sun goes down—a free movie and popcorn with donations for luscious snacks (beaverages, hot dogs, nachos and chips, ice cream) offered throughout the movie to raise money (donations) for AFSC-KC Peace Program work.
You’ll also have opportunity to don a cowboy hat and
be photographed riding an “H-bomb” to share with friends and
family.
Bring your own chairs, blankets and bug spray and have a one of a kind outdoor movie experience.
More info? Want to help? Call Deborah at 816.931.5256.
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New Cost of War Bumper Sticker are available from KC AFSC office. Contact us for information – 816 931-5256 or ihar...@afsc.org
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Join the
Chalk Project
Marking the 4,000 death of American Troops in Iraq
with Respect and Messages of Peace
Send photos of chalk outlines to dmell...@afsc.org
Click Here to see some of the Chalk Project outlines
Help rouse the public’s conscience over the growing deaths in the Iraq occupation and call for a change from war making to making peace in the world –through diplomacy, feeding the hungry, healing the sick, supporting human rights…
Join with others in creating an organic memorial to those who have died in the Iraq occupation by creating body chalk outlines on streets, sidewalks or other locations (it works best working with a partner) and then to chalk the message “Too Many Have Died In Iraq” – and add your own message of peace—for example: Education Not War; Healthcare Not Bombing; Butter Not Bullets; Renewable Energy Not Oil warring, Diplomacy Not Ultimatums, etc.(We ask that you keep it positive. Not curse words or name calling.)
Our goal is for area activists to make 4,000 body outlines spread throughout the city.
We offer this caution-it is possible that creating these outlines may be considered breaking anti-graffiti laws in some places. To help you avoid this make sure you use only chalk and be willing to wash the chalk away if a business or homeowner complains.
We would also like to document the outlines created, messages left, locations and times seen. When you see a Chalk Project body outline we ask that you e-mail your “sighting” to dmell...@afsc.org.
Please include in your email the location e.g. “SW corner of 48th Street and Oak, KCMO), the messages in the outline, and times you saw it. Please also attach a digital photos in jpeg or pict format if you are able to take one. Sightings will be posted on a website to be determined. For info call 816 931-5256.
Click Here to see some of the Chalk Project outlines
Email us sightings of Chalk Project outlines at dmill...@afsc.org !
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A new film on the nonviolent defiance of Soviet occupation
by the Estonian people
and the remarkable events which led to their independence
Opens
August 1st - 7th
at the Glenwood Arts Theatre,
Overland Park, 9575 Metcalf Ave., KS!
THIS IS OUR REMINDER TO LET YOU KNOW THAT THE SINGING REVOLUTION PLAYS THIS FRIDAY THROUGH NEXT THURSDAY
AT THE GLENWOOD ARTS THEATRE, OVERLAND PARK, KS!
Please help spread the word about the film opening this Friday; it is truly how we've gotten this far. Thank you!
Show times Friday, 8/1* & Saturday, 8/2: 12:30pm, 2:45pm, 5:15pm* & 8:00pm*
*Filmmaker James Tusty will be on hand for Q&A following both the 5:15pm & 8:00pm showings Friday, 8/1
Show times Sunday, 8/3 - Thursday, 8/7: 1:15pm, 4:15pm & 7:15pm
Ticket purchases, directions and further information may be found on the theater website: http://www.fineartsgroup.com/
To view the film trailer go to: www.singingrevolution.com
_____________________________________________________________
Thanks & hope you can make it!
Maureen & James Tusty
Producers/Directors of The Singing Revolution
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HIROSHIMA-NAGASAKI REMEMBRANCE 2008 PROGRAM
NUCLEAR PEACE CARAVAN
JAPANESE PEACE DELEGATION
Let us work for a more peaceful world. Let us say NO so that Hiroshima-Nagasaki nuclear bombs NEVER AGAIN fall. Let us say NO to construction of nuclear weapons.
Aug. 9, 2008, Saturday, 8 a.m.-9 a.m., Nuclear Peace Caravan: Starting at the proposed new nuclear weapons manufacturing site at Highway 150 & Botts Road, 1 1/2 miles east of Highway 71, and going through Martin City to Bannister Federal Complex at Lydia & 95th St. (Bannister Road), KCMO, this caravan lodges strong objection to the making of weapons of mass destruction and the proposed use of bond money to build a new weapons plant. Contact: Ann Suellentrop with PeaceWorks KC and the KC Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, (913) 342-0587.
Aug. 9, 2008, Saturday, Hiroshima-Nagasaki Remembrance 2008 Program: At Loose Park Lake, 52nd & Wornall Road, KCMO, a potluck and social hour begin at 6 p.m., and the annual program begins at 7 p.m., including floating lanterns, 63 gongs (63 years since the 1945 bombings), 30 posters of Hiroshima & Nagasaki before and after the nuclear bombings, speakers, etc. Contact: Henry Stoever with PeaceWorks KC, (913) 375-0045 or henrys...@sbcglobal.net.
Japanese Delegation in Kansas City: Four (4) persons from Japan, including one survivor of the Hiroshima nuclear blast, arrive in Kansas City on Sept. 4, 2008. We are accepting invitations for them to appear at forums Sept. 4-5, preferably Sept. 5. Reception and Program:
On Friday, Sept. 5, at 7 p.m., the delegation will speak and answer questions at the Community of Christ World Headquarters and Temple, 201 So. River Blvd. (River & Walnut, just west of the downtown), Independence, MO 64050. Contact: Henry Stoever with PeaceWorks KC, (913) 375-0045 or henrys...@sbcglobal.net.
Sponsored by: PeaceWorks Kansas City, the Kansas City Chapter of Physicians for Social Responsibility, and American Friends Service Committee.
News and Action Alerts
U.S. STRATEGY IN MIDDLE EAST UNDER NEW PRESSURE:
TALKS, AT LEAST ABOUT TALKING, TAKE HOLD
Phyllis Bennis
Institute for Policy Studies
24 July 2008
** The Bush administration's ideologically-driven "no withdrawal, no negotiations" war policies in Iraq, Iran and elsewhere in the region are rapidly and visibly failing.
** After years of winning massive anti-war victories in public opinion but unable to transform that public opinion into new anti-war policy, the U.S. and global anti-war movements are now at the center of new domestic, regional and international pressures on Washington powerful enough to force significant new shifts in once-unshakable war strategy.
** These new political realities and alliances involve the Obama campaign, Congress, the Pentagon, Washington's closest Middle East allies, and even the White House itself; but war and occupation continue to shape realities in the region - war in Afghanistan is escalating, the danger of war in Iran (while somewhat diminished) remains real, the occupation of Palestine is worsening, and war and occupation in Iraq remain lethal.
** This is not the moment to rest on our momentary laurels, but rather a moment for anti-war forces to escalate our pressure - on candidates, on the White House, on the media, especially on Congress - to consolidate the moment's gains, and to push the envelope on new possibilities for ending [at least some of] Washington's wars and occupations.
*****
Changes in the region, most visibly in the position of Iraq's U.S. occupation-backed government regarding withdrawal of U.S. troops, is rapidly transforming official political postures regarding the legitimacy and permanency of the occupation. Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki's sudden adoption of the call for some kind of time table or "time horizon" for U.S. troop withdrawal is clearly driven by his own election pressures. In a country where his government's legitimacy remains dubious at best because of its dependence on the U.S. occupation, Maliki has now claimed the mantle of Iraqi nationalism by calling for an eventual withdrawal of U.S. troops, forcing the Bush administration to grudgingly accept a joint call for a "time horizon" for troop withdrawal (though with an unspecified timeframe).
Regarding Iran, the failure of Bush's insistence on a "no negotiations till they give us what we want from negotiations" position led to a sheepish reversal. Sending top State Dept official William Burns to Geneva for the latest negotiations, while substantively meaningless, was symbolically very significant. It was less important for showing U.S. acceptance of the European-led negotiations, than it was for demonstrating the collapse of the administration's long-held ideological position of no negotiations. Objectively, if not officially, it held out the possibility that Washington's allies might be able to force U.S. with engagement with Iran in order to keep on the table the one goal fundamental to Iran's willingness to engage diplomatically: negotiating a serious security agreement with the U.S. guaranteeing that Iran will not face military attack, invasion, or "regime change" from the one country capable of making such a guarantee: the U.S. (So far, the possibility of an Israeli military strike, despite Israel's and its lobbies' globally-aimed psychological warfare operations threatening to go it alone, remains dependent on U.S. military as well as political backing for any such attack.)
The recent new successes of the anti-war movement are most evident regarding Iran. When the ardently pro-Israeli Rep. Gary Ackerman introduced HR 362 in the House of Representatives, calling almost explicitly for a naval blockade against Iran, he quickly and easily won hundreds of bipartisan co-sponsors. But the anti-war movement immediately kicked into high gear, and with the national clout of United for Peace and Justice, the creative actions in and around Congress by Code Pink, the consistent pressure of Peace Action, along with dozens more organizations, all pulled into 24/7 activism, dozens of members of Congress went into a defensive re-thinking mode.
It was very significant that many supporters of HR 362 in the House (as well as a few backers of its companion Senate version) claimed from the beginning, and may well have even believed, that escalating sanctions against Iran would serve as a bulwark against going to war. On the one hand, the irony is rich - have they learned nothing from the Iraq experience, in which, once again, the brunt of sanctions impacted only population, not the regime, and in fact raised support of the people for the regime and against those imposing the sanctions, rather than the reverse? Yes, they seem to have learned nothing. But perhaps more significantly, the pressure of the anti-war movement, and crucially, the reality that the anti-war movement's work over these last seven years has transformed public views into a huge wellspring of majority anti-war opinion, mean that members of Congress now feel compelled to justify their positions based on an anti-war, not "security"-based assumption. That's huge. That's evidence of enormous success.
The Obama Middle East junket clearly gave a huge boost to the campaign and to the candidate - in international legitimacy, in credibility as a potential commander-in-chief, and among his anti-war base at home as he tested his withdraw-in-16-months plan in Iraq going head-to-head with Maliki and incoming CentCom chief and surge-backing General David Petraeus, as well as making his all-important, make-or-break-the-campaign three-shot playing basketball with U.S. troops.
Maliki's endorsement of Obama's withdrawal plan is probably worth all of his trade union, women's organizations and Democratic governors' endorsements together. And it is hardly surprising. Maliki faces growing pressure in the run-up to this fall's (or, more likely, next year's) Iraqi elections to come out against the despised U.S. occupation that in fact maintains him in power, and he was desperately seeking a way to juggle those realities. Endorsing Obama's plan allowed Maliki to call for "an end to occupation" even though the last thing he wants would be an actual end to the U.S. troop presence. Maliki, unlike too many U.S. supporters of Obama, certainly knew that Obama's plan to withdraw troops over 16 months would leave behind somewhere between 35,000 and 80,000 U.S. occupation troops (his advisers say 50,000) in Iraq for an indefinite period, to carry out a wide range of military tasks including training the Iraqi security forces and unspecified counter-insurgency operations. That would be just fine for Maliki - allowing U.S. troops to remain indefinitely, to continue backing his government, while reducing the size, visibility, and "footprint" of the U.S. occupation in the hope that popular opposition and resistance might subside.
Certainly reducing the size of the occupation army is a good thing - withdrawing half the 150,000 or so troops would be a good thing. But we should not confuse that with "ending the occupation." Ending the occupation still means bringing home (home, not redeploying) all the troops and mercenaries, closing all the military bases, and ending all efforts to control Iraqi oil.
And for the Bush administration, the rising pressure from Maliki forced a grudging acceptance of the strangely-worded call for a "time horizon" for troop withdrawals. (There are questions whether Maliki's initial endorsement of a "timetable" for withdrawal was in fact a "mistranslation" as claimed by one of his top aides in the New York Times. As noted analyst Juan Cole pointed out, that aide often reflects the views of the Pentagon far more than Maliki himself, whose own office distributed the "timetable" call.) But regardless of whether Maliki used the clearer "timetable" or the ambiguous "time horizon" language, what is clear is that a real, complete withdrawal of U.S. troops would likely mean the end of his power. It is unlikely that is really what he wants.
But, like sending Burns to Geneva, it was a huge ideological climb-down for the Bush administration to even call for a "time horizon." We may all understand that the great thing about a beautiful horizon is that you can never actually get there - but for the Bush White House, believing they are winning the war and committed to never admitting they were wrong, it is a huge concession. (For more details on the regional developments leading to new negotiations between U.S. allies and U.S. antagonists, see UFPJ Talking Points: "U.S. Steps Up Efforts to Prolong Iraq Occupation" June 16, 2008, on the IPS website: http://www.ips-dc.org/articles/459 )
Now, the need is to celebrate the successes so far, recognize the limits of what we've done and escalate the pressure to push even further. In Congress, there is a real possibility of defeating HR 362 (or at least having it die in committee, which amounts to the same thing). Pressure is continuing, and needs to continue, focusing especially on every liberal or "anti-war" member, but on all the others as well, who believe that imposing a naval blockade, an act of war in international law, is somehow the way to avoid war. It should also be remembered that most opposition is limited to the blockade language - hardly anyone is opposing the tightening of sanctions. We should be insisting that no sanctions be added - that if we're serious about maximizing the potential raised by the participation of Burns in Geneva, we must not undermine the possibility of new or renewed negotiations by sending the absolutely wrong message: that the U.S. will continue to impose unilateral sanctions whatever the potential is for diplomacy. We support diplomatic, not sanctions-imposed solutions.
This is a crucial moment. We have an incredible opportunity to grab the false claims of "anti-war" positions and push them towards reality. As my War Times friend Max Elbaum recently noted, we may look back on this moment and see it as parallel in some ways to 1968 - when the Vietnamese lost the Tet offensive but suddenly the whole world recognized that the U.S. could not win the war anyway. It is an amazing opportunity - but a sobering reality -after 1968 it was another seven years before the war was over. This time, we can't wait that long.
**************
_________________________
Phyllis Bennis is a fellow of the Institute for Policy Studies in Washington DC. Her new book, UNDERSTANDING THE US-IRAN CRISIS: A PRIMER will be published in August by Interlink Publishing (www.interlinkbooks.com).
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Published on Tuesday, July 29, 2008 by CommonDreams.org
End the Occupation of Iraq — and Afghanistan
by Marjorie Cohn
So far, Bush’s plan to maintain a permanent U.S. military presence in Iraq has been stymied by resistance from the Iraqi government. Barack Obama’s timetable for withdrawal of American troops has evidently been joined by Iraqi Prime Minister Nuri al-Maliki, Bush has mentioned a “time horizon,” and John McCain has waffled. Yet Obama favors leaving between 35,000 and 80,000 U.S. occupation troops there indefinitely to train Iraqi security forces and carry out “counter-insurgency operations.” That would not end the occupation. We must call for bringing home — not redeploying — all U.S. troops and mercenaries, closing all U.S. military bases, and relinquishing all efforts to control Iraqi oil.
In light of stepped up violence in Afghanistan, and for political reasons — following Obama’s lead — Bush will be moving troops from Iraq to Afghanistan. Although the U.S. invasion of Afghanistan was as illegal as the invasion of Iraq, many Americans see it as a justifiable response to the attacks of September 11, 2001, and the casualties in that war have been lower than those in Iraq — so far. Practically no one in the United States is currently questioning the legality or propriety of U.S. military involvement in Afghanistan. The cover of Time magazine calls it “The Right War.”
The U.N. Charter provides that all member states must settle their international disputes by peaceful means, and no nation can use military force except in self-defense or when authorized by the Security Council. After the 9/11 attacks, the Council passed two resolutions, neither of which authorized the use of military force in Afghanistan. Resolutions 1368 and 1373 condemned the September 11 attacks, and ordered the freezing of assets; the criminalizing of terrorist activity; the prevention of the commission of and support for terrorist attacks; the taking of necessary steps to prevent the commission of terrorist activity, including the sharing of information; and urged ratification and enforcement of the international conventions against terrorism.
The invasion of Afghanistan was not legitimate self-defense under article 51 of the Charter because the attacks on September 11 were criminal attacks, not “armed attacks” by another country. Afghanistan did not attack the United States. In fact, 15 of the 19 hijackers came from Saudi Arabia. Furthermore, there was not an imminent threat of an armed attack on the United States after September 11, or Bush would not have waited three weeks before initiating his October 2001 bombing campaign. The necessity for self-defense must be “instant, overwhelming, leaving no choice of means, and no moment for deliberation.” This classic principle of self-defense in international law has been affirmed by the Nuremberg Tribunal and the U.N. General Assembly.
More> http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/29/10670/
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Message from Friends Committee on National Legislation
July-August Washington Newsletter:
A Renewed Vision for Nuclear Disarmament
The United States may have a real opportunity to shift the direction of U.S. nuclear weapons policy and make significant progress on nuclear disarmament in the next year.
To succeed, however, this campaign can't wait until the inauguration of a new president and Congress in January to get going. Read the July/August issue of the FCNL Washington Newsletter to find out how you can help urge presidential and congressional candidates to embrace a U.S. commitment to a world free of nuclear weapons.
The July/August Washington Newsletter (PDF) looks back at the past eight years and the tremendous work that FCNL and other advocates of nuclear disarmament have done to keep the Bush administration from building and testing new nuclear weapons .
The newsletter also looks forward, proposing an agenda for the next Congress and the next president. Congress and the president could take five steps right away to begin building a nuclear-free world, including renegotiating significant nuclear treaties and supporting efforts to keep tabs on loose nuclear weapons.
Candidates and Congress also need to hear support for a ban on cluster bombs. The global community signed a major cluster bomb ban treaty without the United States in May, and the newsletter includes ideas about how to encourage a U.S. ban on these dangerous weapons
As always, you can find updates on these and other issues at: www.fcnl.org.
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Contribute. Volunteer. Spread the word!
Contact us and mail your tax deductible contribution to:
American Friends Service Committee
4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110
The information and events described in AFSC Peace and Justice Alerts are intended to educate and assist members of our community in becoming active in working for a more just and peaceful world. Inclusion of a listing does not necessarily imply that AFSC KC agrees with all points of view that will be represented at the event.
The American Friends Service Committee is a Quaker organization that includes people of various faiths who are committed to social justice, peace, and humanitarian service.
Its work is based on the Quaker belief in the worth of every person and faith in the power of love to overcome violence and injustice
Ira Harritt
Kansas City Program
American Friends Service Committee
4405 Gillham Rd., KCMO 64110
(816) 931-5256
Fax (816) 561-5033
